A team of archeologists discovered that people were living here nearly 10,000 years ago. That’s before sea levels rose enough to fill San Francisco Bay, back when the Farallon Islands marked the edge of the continent.

The Adobe Trail was named for a house built in 1852 by two Spanish brothers, Lorenzo and Juan Suñol. A lawsuit filed by Juan’s common-law wife, Maria, reveals some interesting details about their lives.

Is grassland just a bunch of weeds? Not exactly. Along this stretch of trail, look for kit foxes, meadowlarks, harriers, Say’s phoebes, savannah sparrows, white-tailed kites, and even eagles. And give thanks to the humble California ground squirrel.

Take your imagination out into the reservoir, along what used to be Kellogg Creek. Some of the area’s first Basque settlers raised sheep here, defending their land with knives. A little later, along came 20th century inventor Oscar Starr.

Los Vaqueros is a stronghold for endangered amphibians, including tiger salamanders and red-legged frogs. How can these moisture-loving creatures survive on the dry side of the Coast Range? Biologist Malcolm Sproul explains.